//------------------------------// // The Chapter Known As Six: When Life Gives You Elements [All Art Is Quite Useless] // Story: Ponemurdered 2 // by The Gentlecolt //------------------------------// Suddenly, the narrator regained his limited omniscience and ability to narrate unimpeached by the commentary of characters, and Discord forgot he was in a story. It was simpler this way. Tirek slowly rose to an almost standing position, his short chains taut against his hooves as they held him firmly in place. He snarled, his loathing fixed on the otherworldly creature. “Why should I accept an offer from you?” he breathed, his voice frail and shaky, “After our last encounter, I find it hard to believe that your intentions could be anything but malevolent.” As Tirek spoke, Discord puffed on a large cigar, inhaling smoke and exhaling nothing at all as the corona grew in length. Setting it down on an ashtray made of ash, filled with glass, he flashed a toothy smile. “Good, because they’re not. Listen to me, and listen well. I have need of you above, the situation is dire. As we speak, there is a group of bewitched ponies in the Everfree Forest searching for the Tree of Harmony, led by a certain undesirable. The group must be disabled, and the leader destroyed at all costs.” Tirek reached up to stroke his scraggly beard, but was stopped by a hard chain. He growled in annoyance. “Your princesses cannot accomplish this?” “Twilight Sparkle is already in the thick of things, and it has been well established that alicorn magic has no power over this particular threat. My magic is also stunted, but yours is not. When the blanket fell over Equestria, you were not present, which allows you to serve as a suitable wildcard.” As he spoke, Discord flashed a deck of cards, all jokers emblazoned with his image. Tirek grinned wickedly. “Why should I do this for you?” he asked, settling back onto his belly. “You have already revealed your weakness; to indebt myself to you now would be foolish. What can you offer me that I would desire? My freedom? Ha! I have escaped this pit before and I will escape again, given time.” “Tell me,” Discord snapped his talons, conjuring an image of a fire slowly spreading through the Everfree, threatening to leave and begin engulfing the surrounding terrain at any moment. At the epicentre of the densest thickets, a mesmerising chant rang forth in dissonant chimes. “What use is it to escape in, say, another thousand years, if the world you once knew is already gone by then?” Tirek studied the image. It seemed to morph with the cackling of the flames, transforming the surroundings into something alien, horrible even to him. He had seen this before, ancient tomes penned by wise prognosticators had once described something much similar. “How do I know that what you show me is not a deception? How can I be sure that any of this is real?” “Honestly, T-Red, you can’t.” Discord’s face darkened, and his eyes grew serious. “But you do know the song you hear now. A pony named Caballeron has been named herald of the end times, and he prepares to contact Him as we speak, there is little time.” Tirek’s face became grave. He had had his suspicions, but he strongly desired to play it all off as another of Discord’s tricks, if only to alleviate his growing fear. “But I thought all ties had been severed?” There was no hatred in his macabre whisper, only a strong and palpable worry. Discord, to his credit, did not seem nearly as worried, but Tirek suspected that he might be incapable of expressing such a feeling. “As did I, but it seems that one of the old ones managed to cling to this plane, one way or another. Now, their influence has caused all of this. I have withdrawn and looked to my other selves for guidance, but it seems no Discord has ever tangled with this threat, at least, none that I can see.” “But you are infinite,” Tirek reasoned, his face pale, “how can it be that you have not encountered Him before, in at least one dimension?” “I’m afraid my omnipresence counts for little against His power. He is the ultimate harbinger of destruction. Should He be summoned to this world, not only will the entire earth be erased, but any trace of its existence will perish also. This entire universe, any conscious memory or knowledge of it from any being, anything that has or has yet to happen in this timeline will vanish. Even my counterparts will be none-the-wiser. “ As he spoke, Discord drew on a chalkboard, small images depicting universes, multiverses, omniverses, all being wiped out in the blink of an eye. Beside each there was a small illustration of Tirek and him, each with crosses for eyes and their tongues comically sprawling out of their mouths. “Hmph, I get your point.” Tirek wasn’t proud to concede to a weak-minded creature such as Discord, but he wasn’t about to argue the specifics either. “Still, I see no benefit to helping you. An old one alone would be nigh impossible to defeat, but Him? You may as well admit defeat now. What is the difference between my dying with the erasure of this world, or dying at the hands of a creator?” “Well, it’s hardly a huge disparity, but the only—very tiny, mind you— difference is that a creator will merely kill you. You will cease to be, and that’s the end of it. As for erasure? Now, that’s a slow process. Think of it this way. Have you ever heard of antibacterial soap? Well, of course you haven’t, look at you.” Tirek flinched away as Discord conjured a bar of soap, threatening to scrub at his coat. Sighing, he threw it away, and Tirek watched as it puffed into smoke in midair. “Anyways, it claims to kill 99.9% of bacteria on a surface. Why not a hundred? Because complete and total erasure is difficult to pull off. Put it this way: When He comes to end things, he will take his time. Everything from the microbes in your body and the carbon that makes up your system, all the way up to every layer of your conscious, subconscious and even unconscious mind will be slowly and meticulously plucked and torn from your being, one piece at a time.” Smiling maniacally, Discord partitioned himself into a thousand pieces, before forming each into a tiny version of himself. “Not a single shred of you will remain eventually, but in the meantime? You will slowly degenerate, dissipate, deconstruct… You get my point. Metaphysical torture of the worst kind, and trust me, I say this from experience. You think being trapped in a prison for millennia is oh so terrible? Wait until the lining of your stomach is almost gone, and the acid starts to seep into your other organs… Or, even better, when your hooves turn to rubber, missing the integrity of their bones, and you’re slowly turned into a malleable paste, mangled and disfigured... Would you like that, buddy?” Tirek had heard enough; Tirek’s stomach had heard enough. “How do we prevent it?” “With preparation and planning, of course!” Discord grinned, suddenly one again. “Unfortunately, we have time for neither, so we’ll be going in dry. Killing Caballeron won’t be enough, nor will destroying those he has bewitched. The old one will simply find a new vessel. What you must do is destroy the old one before he has the chance to call for Him, that is the only way to avert total disaster. Also, the Tree of Harmony must not be corrupted by Caballeron, secure it at all costs.” “You seem to be forgetting something.” Tirek asserted, impatient. “I have a paltry amount of magic in comparison to you, or any of your princesses. The only way I was able to exceed or even match your strength last time was by absorbing your powers. If alicorn magic will not work against the old one, what am I meant to absorb to fight him with?” Discord’s eyebrows straightened; he looked at Tirek with an uncharacteristically straight face. “Eat the tree.” Tirek went cross eyed. “Wh-what?” “Eat it.” Discord continued, as if it was the most obvious thing he had said all week. “Or absorb it, whatever it is that you do. The power of the Elements resides in the tree, and by absorbing it you should have access to the only power the old one has yet to corrupt. Once you have managed this, you must focus your attacks directly on Caballeron and the surrounding ponies, but do not kill them. Not all of them are completely bewitched, but none of them realise what they are doing. In fact, they believe they are there to stop Caballeron from exacting some generic, evil plan. Should you sever their minds from that construct yourself, it will likely cost them either their sanity or their lives. This chain of events has been fastidiously prepared to appear as something entirely different to what it really is. It even had me convinced until I gained some distance.” “So let me get this straight,” Tirek started, once more attempting to stand, only to find that his chains had been lengthened. It took all of his willpower not to flash a gracious smile at Discord. “An old one has possessed a pony named Caballeron, and has gone to the Everfree Forest to destroy the Tree of Harmony, our only bastion of defence against Him. In the process, he has also convinced a group of ponies that they are operating in a reality separate to their own. And this hasn’t affected you because?” “Why do you think?” Discord pulled a nail file out of the hat he was suddenly wearing, using it to unshape his talons. “It’s a fringe benefit of the job, being batshit crazy. Anyway, yes, you summed it up aptly. Go to the forest, find the tree, stop the others, and destroy Caballeron. While doing so, protect the tree, preserve the forest. In exchange, you will be free, and you will never be put back in Tartarus for as long as you may live.” “Does Celestia agree to these terms?” Tirek growled, brow furrowed. “We’ll just assume she does for now. It’s better than dying regardless.” “Which reminds me,” Tirek’s head tilted where he stood, “Why are you so calm about this? You run the same risk of being destroyed as the rest of us, correct?” “Me? Oh, I’m stupendously calm, aren’t I?” Discord chimed, his voice lighter than air. “Oh, if I could remember a time before now that I had been so calm, I’d make a comparison, but I’m not sure I can!” Discord quickly snapped out of his false reverie, laughing to himself all the while. “I’ve… I’ve yet to tell you the final step to your little mission. You see, as I’m sure you know, the old one intends to use a sacrifice to call Him forth, the blood of a true innocent, spilled over the remnants of the forest. Now, I’ve examined the group within the forest, and I suspect he plans to use a small yellow pegasus amongst them. Yes, I’m quite sure he plans to drain the life right out of her, isn’t that fun?” When Tirek focused on Discord, he found his face to be extremely strained, as if he would burst a blood vessel at any moment. “What of the sacrifice?” he asked. “Priority should go to saving her, but also to stopping Caballeron. Also, if you are able to cooperate with the team on the ground, try to coordinate an attack with them, but remember that they do not understand the gravity of the situation. In fact, it’s likely their memories of current events are hazy, so do not be shocked if they attack you. Avoid anyone until you have reached the tree.” “And if it looks as if the tree is about to be compromised? What of the sacrifice then?” Discord was silent for a very long time. When he spoke, there was scarcely a tone to his voice. “...Kill her first. If her blood hits the ground before the land He walks on is fertile, the old one will have to find a replacement, and that could take a long time. It might just give us the opportunity we need.” “Any advice on killing the old one?” “There’s a reason I selected you for this task,” Discord said, his voice still missing its usual joviality, “your magic is unique, and terribly applicable right now. When Caballeron’s body is destroyed, the old one will seek out the closest, most powerful creature in the vicinity to inhabit. While it is doing so, absorb the old one into your own being, and use the power of the Elements to dominate it, subjugate its will and then destroy it. Leave no trace behind.” “This plan operates on a lot of variables. Much could go wrong.” “Much already has gone wrong, and unless you have a better alternative, this is what you’re doing. Now, I’m going to drop you on the eastern outskirts of the Everfree, from there you’ll have to make your own way to the tree.” A snap, and Tirek’s chains fractured and broke apart, clanging against the hard ground as they fell. Discord sat inside a two pony cart, the words ‘Applewood Derby’ painted on the side. “Now, are you ready? I’d rather not keep up this time bubble forever.” Time bubble? No wonder he has no sense of urgency. Tirek slowly stretched his limbs, rubbing above each of his hooves as he adjusted to the lack of the familiar ache. “...Not in the slightest.” “Good. If you thought you were you’d be dead wrong.” With that, Discord snapped his talons, and suddenly they emerged on the outskirts of the forest, an infectious bright orange dancing in the distance, smoke rising to the evening sky. “One more thing: If you can distract the old one for long enough the blanket restricting mine and everyone else’s powers might be lifted, and the illusion might also be shattered safely.” “Would it not be simpler if I could dispose of everyone, sans the princess? You are placing a lot of restrictions on—” Tirek suddenly found himself suspended in the air, not by magic but Discord’s paw, wrapped around his neck as he held him to eye level with a surprising measure of physical strength. “Remind me who decides your freedom?” When he received silence as a response, Discord subdued Tirek with a sinister glare. “Do as instructed. No unnecessary casualties if avoidable, but don’t err on the side of caution either. Now, get to it.” With that, Discord vanished, and Tirek was left to pick himself up from the floor. As much as he wanted to savour the feeling of fresh earth and the smell of evening air, he had a mission. If he wished to survive, he’d waste no time. Using his intuition alone, he picked a route leading directly to the right of the highest levels of fire. Twilight shook her head, willing the fog in her mind to dissipate as she galloped ahead. Beside her was Rainbow Dash, Starlight Glimmer, Trixie, and Scootaloo, all of whom she’d found since entering the forest. Before her she saw flames, beside her she saw her friends running alongside, save Scootaloo, who rode her scooter with diligence, keeping pace with all of them. She knew something was wrong. The day seemed so comparatively simple in the beginning, if it even was the same day. Now, she ran forwards with no destination in sight, save the merciless blaze that stood before her. Somewhere deep in the forest, her destination lay waiting to be discovered. Caballeron had a reason to be here, she was sure of that. He was looking for something, something imperative. She had to stop him. Whether she had been charged with the task of doing so or not was irrelevant now; the details scarcely mattered. Her conscious drive seemed to be eerily mirrored by everypony around her. They all expressed the same desire to catch Caballeron, to thwart his plans, but something told her that if they even stopped for a second to discuss why, none of them would know what to say. That thought struck her as odd, but she soon dismissed it in favour of the urgency of the situation, speeding forwards. She was aware of her inability to use magic. It seemed to have affected those around her too, as evidenced by Rainbow Dash’s reluctance to fly. Whatever power Caballeron held over them, and anypony else who had entered the forest, it was powerful, terribly so. There was a latent realisation scratching at the edge of Twilight’s consciousness, waiting to be unearthed. Ignoring it, she pressed on, leaping over a thick undergrowth of branches in perfect sync with her companions. No one thought to comment on this. It all felt so structured. Why would Caballeron, of all ponies, be setting fires in the Everfree? Why was he proving so elusive? Where was Fluttershy? Why was it that no matter what question she posed, she could make no sense of the answer? There was no cohesion between her thoughts, nothing linked, nothing correlated. She tripped over a branch, only to be caught by Rainbow’s outstretched hooves, and again she was running deeper into the fray. The sudden pain in her right hoof reignited with each thunderous step, but she didn’t limp. In fact, she didn’t lose a single ounce of speed. She looked around to find sheer determination plastered across everypony’s faces. With a narrow stretch of clear terrain, she had the time to properly study their faces. They each looked identical, almost chillingly so. Even Scootaloo, a small filly, was riding towards this vague, obscure danger as if it was her calling in life. Why was she there? Shuddering, Twilight stopped, feigning pain in her hoof. Instantly, all of her companions turned, facing her directly. It was Trixie who spoke. “What are you doing? We need to go and stop Caballeron!” Hold on. Since when is Trixie this dutiful? Thinking fast, Twilight averted her eyes, putting pressure on her injured hoof to produce a slight whimpering quality in her voice. “I-I know, I’m just a little hurt. I’ll only be a second.” She silently gauged everypony’s reactions, still rooted to the spot. It was as if Trixie had ceased functioning. Next, it was Rainbow who spoke. “C’mon, hurry up! we gotta go!” As Rainbow spoke, everyone else stood in a deranged silence. It was disturbing. No competing for attention, no movement, scarcely any panting... “Yeah, I know… Uhh, can you remember why we’ve got to go?” Next, it was Rainbow’s turn to become defunct, and Starlight’s to speak. “We have to find the Tree of Harmony, remember?” Something about that did sound familiar, and equally foreboding. “We do?” Twilight asked, not revealing her inner thoughts. “What for?” “To stop Caballeron, of course.” Starlight replied matter of factly, unaffected by the smouldering trees sitting directly behind her. “Okay, you’re either being intentionally vague, or you don’t have any clue what you’re talking about. Can someone please for the love of Celestia tell me why you’re all acting like this? For pete’s sake, half of us aren’t even Element Bearers, why would we be going to the tree?” “It’s simple,” Rainbow Dash began, taking the foreground once more, “Caballeron has a secret plan to dig up the Tree of Harmony and mine it for its minerals, Daring Do is trapped and we have to defend it!” No. There was no way, she couldn’t possibly believe that, could she? “Rainbow Dash, that’s a Daring Do novel!” Twilight all but screamed, wheezing as she spoke. “You’ve read that novel for crying out loud! This has already happened, and we weren’t there for it! Why would you think that we—” “Does this feel like a story?” Scootaloo sweetly smiled, looking up at her from her scooter. “We’re going to the Tree of Harmony to protect it from Caballeron. You can either come with us quietly, or you can, oh, I dunno,” she cast an innocent gaze around the perilous, burning forest, “wait right here?” “What?!” Twilight screamed, her voice shrill. “Have you all gone insane? This is a fantasy! But if it’s a fantasy...“ Twilight felt a shiver crawl up her spine; her blood became glacial. “Why does it look so real?..” She pawed at the ground before her, she felt the warmth of the fire slowly closing in around her, she examined the gash on her leg, blood oozing out, and the insects buzzing around it. “Why is my brain telling me that this is true, that I need to stop Caballeron before it’s too late?” Starlight shot a cheesy smile at Twilight. “Silly Princess, that’s because this is real! You’re worrying about nothing, now let’s get moving!” “Hold on… What?” Twilight shivered where she stood, she could feel the surreality closing in on her like a vice. “When have you ever addressed me as ‘Princess’?” “That’s your name,” Starlight continued in a monotone, “Princess Twilight Sparkle, is it not?” Panic stricken, Twilight whipped around to her right. “Trixie, you know a lot about illusory magic, right? You’d be able to tell if there was an illusion here right now, wouldn’t you?” Seemingly indignant, Trixie gave a short nod. “Yes, and there aren’t any here so can we please go already?” “H-hold on, let me think…” Alright, okay. I know something isn’t right here. Twilight eyed each of her friends once more, who all appeared to wait expectantly for her response, as if time had been put on hold especially for her. Stop Caballeron. It was her voice, she knew it, but it felt so alien, so abhorrently wrong. Get to the Tree of Harmony. Do it before it’s too late. Was she really thinking these things? Were her thoughts even hers anymore? For a long time, there was naught but silence, until Twilight’s ears detected the crackle of burning trees, drawing ever-closer with each passing second. What had caused the fire? Why? Caballeron did it. She shuddered at the name, the very utterance willing her to propel herself forwards in search of him, to defeat him and make things right. Caballeron did it, and that’s all the explanation you need. Twilight took a shaky step forwards; all of her friends began to move in tandem. There was no conversation to be had, it seemed, only a destination to find and an objective to achieve. You have to stop him. Do it now. Twilight knew what she had to do. She ran forwards with renewed vigor, each of her friends beside her once more, flat faced and expressionless. They had a single set of goals in mind, to catch Caballeron, save the Tree of Harmony, and rescue Daring Do. Somewhere in the back of Twilight’s mind, she remembered a pain in one of her hooves, some indeterminate amount of time ago. She looked down at herself, seeing nothing but fresh, unbroken skin. She galloped on, her friends beside her, ready to finally defeat this menace. Tirek shambled through the forest, wary of his limited stamina, taking the occasional pause for breath. The moonlight entwined with the auburn afterglow of burning embers as an orange blaze cut through the woodland, leaving nothing but charcoal in its wake. An ethereal glow shone down upon the centaur, the shine almost mesmerising him as he stood in place. Still, he pushed himself forwards, ignoring any desire for rest. The short journey had been a chance to reflect, but every conclusion he drew left much to be desired, much to still understand. Why had the old one chosen now to act? How long had he spent recuperating? How had Caballeron found him, and where? All of it was truly foreboding, and nothing served to provide him even a shred of relief; not the abstract surroundings, nor the smell of decay, or even the obscene shine in the distance. As he drew closer, he began to recognise that lurid shine for what it really was, what it signified. His destination was in reach, and despite the blazing inferno that surrounded him on all sides, there were no other ponies in sight. Resolute, he rushed forwards at a quickened pace, careful not to overexert himself if he could help it. As he approached the tree, he noticed that the roots had started to darken; his time was limited. Wasting no time, he reached out with his power, aiming to target the six Elements of Harmony that resided in the tree. He called and he called, but the Elements proved unreceptive. They sat there, stagnant and unmoving, and no matter how he tried to coax their power out of the tree, he had no luck. His mind could feel the well of power swelling and coagulating in the tree, but for all of his effort it did not shift, or do anything to respond to his presence. Tirek halted his magical surge, panting as he stood on shaking fetlocks. Growling, he stared up at the tree, remembering it for what it really was, the instrument of his imprisonment. How he would love to tear it up, reduce it molten ash and desecrate the sacred ground it sat upon, the desire was almost overwhelming. However, it was superseded by his need to act, and everything he had attempted so far had resulted in failure. He stood, eyes narrowed to slits, staring up at each branch individually, as if he was attempting to decipher a difficult puzzle. An inkling in the back of his mind told him that the Elements may not respond to a creature that didn’t possess the characteristics they represent, but that wouldn’t do, he needed their power. A scowl upon his face, he thought back to Discord’s words. Adjusting his magic, he instead attempted to target the entire tree, rather than just the Elements that resided within. They were one, after all, and he needed all the power he could get a handle on. Pouring all of his power, loathing, and passion into his spell, he felt a slight but very real shift of power as a single Element became responsive. Tirek had honesty when it suited him, loyalty and laughter he had abandoned upon his last return, kindness and generosity were his antithesis, but magic was his true self. With his unique abilities, there was scarcely a creature in Equestria with the same magical potential as him, and the element appeared to resonate with that fact. The power he felt was incredible. He wagered that when the Bearers had previously used the Elements of Harmony, they had merely been able to channel their respective energies, not directly tap into it and use it as a power source. Now, he wasn’t becoming a bearer, he was becoming the Element, he was magic. The pain of the transformation was transient, but excruciating all the same. He felt the memories of the previous Bearers pour into him, the emotions that made up the stone’s essence. For but a moment, he was Twilight Sparkle; he was Celestia. He shared their pain, their happiness, their traits, their thoughts, their pasts… Howling in white hot pain as he felt the alien influence being branded onto his consciousness, Tirek attempted to remember who he was, why he was there, what he was going to do. Eventually, the pressure receded, and Tirek felt a level calm in his mind, a tranquil peace he hadn’t felt in so long that he scarcely understood the emotion. Looking over his body, he saw that his physical self had too been transformed. He was taller, but more slender, like an alicorn, and his visage was more regal and majestic than it had been previously. His horns, as well as his beard, had grown considerably, and his features were more muscular. Strange, he had expected to grow significantly, a new form to match his severely heightened power. A small smile on the edge of his lips, he stretched, aiming to grow accustomed to his new body. Satisfied, he fired a short bolt into the air, creating a huge shockwave that all but tore the sky open with its intensity. To think that this is the power of one element… It makes what I had before seem paltry! If only there was a way to activate more of them—What was that? Tirek jumped in place, quickly shifting back into the trees for cover. He was confident in his new abilities, but not certain that they would be enough to kill the old one. When he heard the sound of hoofsteps drawing closer, he realised his mistake. In his ignorance, he had fired a blast of magic to test his powers, but he may as well have sent out a flare gun, alerting any nearby ponies that this was a point of interest. The advantage he had from being the first to find the tree was about to be lost, and all he could do is silently chastise himself as he watched from a shaky vantage point, assessing the situation. Ten seconds passed. Tirek kept his eyes fixed on his surroundings, particularly on the tree, making sure nothing drew close to it without his knowledge. He knew that if Caballeron was to approach, he would have to defend the tree, but if he wasn’t here yet, or better, wasn’t coming to inspect the disturbance, Tirek would have a chance to be innovative. By thirty, his mind wandered to the memories he had just suppressed. Twilight’s memories were useless, but Celestia had once wielded the Elements of Kindness and Generosity, as well as Magic. Perhaps, if he could tap into those thoughts, he could activate those elements also, and increase his power? Even for a magician as skilled as Tirek, retrieving a sealed memory without allowing it to overwhelm the spellcaster’s mind was a lengthy and difficult process. He only hoped he would have enough time. Slinking further into the shadows, he began to dive into his mind’s eye, navigating the foreign presence of Twilight Sparkle’s past presence to reach the facsimile of Celestia’s mind that had nestled in his brain. Tearing away the proverbial lock, he allowed her memories to intermix with his own, disregarding all that was unimportant in the search for those that would truly impart the values of kindness and generosity. It was an insane gambit, attempting to trick the Tree of Harmony, but he could think of nothing else. As he once more fought to remember who he was, he found it difficult to segment Celestia’s memories. She was a truly old being, one that had done an incredible amount for vast portions of her life, and very little for other parts. Through this examination, Tirek found himself wanting to pause at many indeterminate moments in the princess’s life, to drink in the wealth of experience her history offered, and the perfect clarity with which she saw it. Still, he resisted the allure, driving deeper into her past. It was slow initially, and then all at once. Through his search, he began to recognise what made the princess a loving and benevolent ruler, what drove her subjects, friends, and sister alike to love and cherish her. He recognised that generosity had its limits, but could truly improve another pony’s quality of life, and likewise saw that kindness, while not always appropriate for every situation, could save much woe, and help to make other creatures happy. He did not feel the profound change in his own thoughts, but he knew the mixture of emotions was having an effect on him. Surely, if he kept it up only a little longer, his aura would feel so akin to Celestia’s that the tree would happily give up Generosity and Kindness to him. A strangely genuine smile on his face, Tirek peered out at the surroundings once more. When he saw Twilight Sparkle approaching, friends in tow, a strange part of his mind told him to rush out and greet them, to smile, offer assistance, and make sure they were not hurt. Was this Celestia’s personality he felt coalescing with his own? As much as he tried to dismiss the strange feelings he was suddenly aware of, his mind was awash with the need to comfort and assist his friends. When the Tree of Harmony was in direct focus, Twilight and her friends all halted as one before it. Lightly panting, Twilight looked to her friends, who had ceased moving. “So, we’re here, what now?” “We wait.” Rainbow Dash answered. “Wait for what?” “For Caballeron. We have to save Daring Do.” Scootaloo said. Hold on, wait. Daring Do… What about the Tree of Harmony? “Then why are we here?” Twilight asked, skeptical. “Because,” Starlight began, her eyes vacant, “Caballeron is looking for the Tree of Harmony, and he has Daring Do.” Something didn’t add up. Twilight stood for a second, lost in thought, before detecting a major logical fallacy. “That makes no sense,” Twilight started, turning to Starlight, “If Caballeron is looking for the Tree of Harmony, why would we head to it first? Surely we’d try to find him instead?” She stood, racking her brain, trying to remember an important detail that had clearly slipped her mind. “You said…” A spark of realisation, she turned to Rainbow Dash. “You said that we had to find the Tree of Harmony, to defend it, right? Then why are you saying that we have to save Daring Do now? Which is it?” “It’s both,” Starlight answered, “We have to defend the tree of harmony, and save Daring Do.” “I asked Rainbow,” Twilight snapped, confused and irritated. Looking at Rainbow, she realised that the pegasus was deathly still, as was everyone save Starlight. “She’s tired from the run,” Starlight stated. “Then why isn’t she panting? Why is nopony moving?” “We’re waiting for Caballeron.” Suddenly, Starlight stared straight at the Tree of Harmony, and her eyes visibly flashed. Twilight looked from her unresponsive friends to Starlight, horror mounting as she tried to process the situation. “Wh-what did you just do?” “I called Caballeron to our position.” Starlight simply said. “Why would you do that?!” “To hurry things up.” Without warning, Dr. Caballeron, an earth pony, teleported before them, his smile sickeningly wide as he held an unconscious Daring Do in what appeared to be a magical aura. Twilight gasped in shock. Her friends, on the contrary, didn’t move a muscle. Twilight wasn’t sure what to be more confused by, her friends’ inability to move or Caballeron’s apparent ability to use magic. Vaguely aware that she couldn’t cast a spell properly, she settled for shouting at him. “How are you doing that? What have you done to my friends?!” “The Amulet of Caluiacan is indeed powerful, my friend. With it, capturing Daring Do and controlling your friends has been a simple breeze. Now, I will dig up the Tree of Harmony and sell it to the highest bidder!” his eyes flashed menacingly, “Now, be a good little pony and wait right here.” “You’re not getting away with this…” Twilight studied Caballeron, from his head to his hooves and all the way back up, until settling on the artifact he wore around his neck. Subdued though her brain still was, something about his words was odd, and something about the amulet sickeningly familiar… At once, the realisation hit her. “That isn’t the Amulet of Caluiacan, that’s the Alicorn Amulet!” “A good eye,” Caballeron smirked deviously, casting a quick look at Daring Do, “But not good enough, I fear. Besides, knowing what my amulet is will do little to stop its power.” Tirek was confused. Not only were his emotions rapidly fluctuating, but his perception of events made little sense, if any. From his vantage point he could see Caballeron, the pony he knew the old one to be inhabiting, and suspended above him he could see an innocent, yellow pegasus, his sacrifice. Celestia’s memory told him that this pegasus was named Fluttershy, and her instinct told him to protect her at all costs. Still, he had to keep detached, remember the plan. He had allowed his being to meld with Celestia’s memories to elicit feelings of generosity and kindness inside of him, feelings that would allow him to bend the tree to his will. Why wasn't he going to the tree? Why, instead, was he looking out towards Twilight, wondering why she and her companions stood so still, why they chanted? Finally, he decided that he must forget about his friends and focus on his mission. Strangely, he detected Celestia’s influence in that choice, rather than his own. Slinking around the backends of the forest, he slowly angled towards the tree, moving within range, hoping to stay undetected. If he could only begin his spell without interruption, he would be tethered to the tree for the duration, and the old one would not be able to touch him, though they would surely detect him. Tirek could only hope that the power would be enough.